Don't you hate it when you buy fresh greens, or a batch of berries, only to find them
rotting in your fridge a few days later? Then you have to get rid of them because you didn't eat them "in time."
If you're purchasing these items from a grocery store, it's not like they were just picked from a tree or pulled out of the ground yesterday. Most fruit and vegetables follow a bit of a journey from farm to supermarket,
which means there could be a few days to several weeks from the day they were harvested to the day they reach your store.
If you're hoping to extend the life of these items so they don't go to waste, it's imperative to store them properly once you buy them and get
them home.
Here are some organized strategies that can help:
1. Temperature Control: Some produce requires refrigeration, while other items fare better at
room temperature. Understanding these needs is crucial. For instance, tomatoes and avocados should be stored at room temperature, while leafy greens and berries benefit from refrigeration.
2. Humidity Management: Many fruits and vegetables thrive in environments with controlled humidity. Crisper drawers in
refrigerators are designed to maintain higher humidity levels, ideal for items like carrots and cucumbers, while low-humidity environments (cool, dry, well-ventilated, not-refrigerated space) suit produce like onions and potatoes well.
3. Ethylene Sensitivity: Ethylene is a natural gas emitted by some fruit,
which can accelerate ripening and spoilage in sensitive produce. Keeping ethylene-producing fruit, such as bananas and apples, separate from ethylene-sensitive items, like lettuce and broccoli, can prolong their freshness.
4. Gentle Handling: Rough handling can bruise or damage fruit and vegetables, leading to
accelerated spoilage. Handle produce with care to minimize physical damage.
5. Regular Inspection: Regularly inspect your fruit and vegetables for signs of ripening or spoilage. Remove any damaged or overripe pieces to prevent them from affecting the rest of the batch.
6. Avoid Washing Before Storage: Moisture can promote mold growth and accelerate decay. It's best to wash fruit and vegetables just before consumption rather than before storage.
7. Rotate
Stock: When storing fresh produce, practice FIFO (First In, First Out) to ensure older items are used before fresher ones. Incorporating older produce into meals first reduces waste.
8. Plan Ahead: Plan your meals for the week, incorporating perishable items early in the week and saving heartier produce for
later. This helps prevent items from going bad before they can be used.
9. Don't Buy More Than You Need: Don't purchase anything until you are 99.999% sure you're going to use it before it spoils. I always lean towards buying less...and also having some frozen fruit and veggie options on hand if I run out of the fresh
choices.
10. Use Green Bags: While green bags (also known as produce bags) and green boxes won't indefinitely preserve fruit and
vegetables, they definitely do help to extend the life of lettuce, carrots, celery, bananas, grapes, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, herbs... and even fresh cut flowers!
They are designed to help extend the freshness by
controlling the buildup of ethylene gas and maintaining optimal humidity levels.
By adopting these organized strategies, you can significantly reduce food waste while enjoying fresh, nutritious produce for longer periods.
